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Cash for dead iPods

Denver business repairs, recycles broken electronics

By Jeff Smith, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published December 24, 2007 at 12:04 a.m.
Updated December 24, 2007 at 6:36 a.m.

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Brett Mosley is inundated with broken iPods, iPhones and gaming consoles. He is part of a growing group who make a living recyling and repairing old electronics.

Photo by Linda McConnell, Special to the Rocky

Brett Mosley is inundated with broken iPods, iPhones and gaming consoles. He is part of a growing group who make a living recyling and repairing old electronics.

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Santa's likely to leave a lot of brand-new MP3 players, cell phones and gaming devices under the tree Tuesday. And that means a whole lot of old electronics headed for the landfill. Or maybe not.

Gina Vazzana said she felt it would be wasteful to throw away her broken 2-year-old iPod mini.

So the Chicago recruiter for an IT consulting firm went onto Google to search for companies that recycled old iPods.

The result: Denver-based Brett Mosley's BuyMyBrokeniPod.com.

Vazzana filled out a form over the Internet and was notified electronically she would be paid $20 based on the condition and model of her iPod. And that's what she got, within days.

"It doesn't sound like much, but (it is) when your other option is to throw it away," Vazzana said.

She added that Mosley was a pleasure to work with and was quick to respond when she wanted to change how she was paid.

Mosley is part of a burgeoning group making a living recycling and repairing electronic devices. He started with iPods this year but has expanded his business to include cell phones and gaming consoles, with laptops to come. His recently redesigned Web site can be found at BuyMyTronics.com.

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that used electronics represent nearly 2 percent of municipal solid waste, and the number is growing. In 2005, discarded electronics totaled an estimated 1.5 million to 1.9 million tons; only 345,000 to 379,000 tons were recycled.

Mosley, 25, saw a niche to recycle or repair broken iPods and do something good for the environment in the process.

"There's value in these things and people are throwing them away," he said.

His Web site is easy to use. An interested seller fills out an electronic form detailing the device and its condition, and an estimated payment appears.

While Vazzana received $20, it's possible to receive much more, depending on the condition and type of electronic device. Mosley said the average payment is about $40 to $50.

Mosley and former partner Jeremy Cohen started the business about a year ago, initially buying used iPods on Craigslist. The Web site was launched in April. Mosley has been on his own since June but gives credit to Cohen for helping him "see the opportunity."

Mosley estimates he's handled a few thousand devices now, with volume in the hundreds every month. His business has been featured in trade magazines such as MacLife, in The New York Times technology section and on TV.

Mosley says he can afford to pay people for their devices because iPods essentially are little laptops, with a screen, a hard drive, a battery and an electronic circuit board.

Sellers of broken and used iPods and other electronic devices have come from as far away as Central America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

Mosley said he can do simple repairs like fix broken screens, but he's also found there's an "insane secondary market" of people who make their living repairing electronic devices.

He resells devices that are in good shape, sometimes after making small repairs. He sells iPods in bulk to others who fix and resell them. He also salvages the valuable parts from broken devices and sells them.

Are there disputes over prices? Mosley said sometimes he'll find the device is in worse shape than expected or a different model, and he'll have to lower the amount he pays.

"I'll personally call them," Mosley said.

He said the person has the option of getting the device back, but "I've never had to send one back."

Mosley, a native of Hawaii, has a business degree in finance and real estate from the University of San Diego and wanted to go into real estate development.

But an entrepreneurial spirit runs in his blood. His dad has operated golf ranges, mobile-home parks, a party boat business, a commercial print shop and now a bed-and-breakfast in Maui, Hawaii. Mosley likes running his own business; he said it allows him to snowboard during the week.

He promotes himself as part of a green movement.

"I'm into the Earth," he said, "and I think this helps."

He notes that besides recycling and repairing electronic devices, he reuses all his shipping materials and walks to a downtown post office from his condominium nearby.

"I guess I'm the real deal."

Jason Linnell, executive director of the National Center for Electronics Recycling, a nonprofit that promotes electronics recycling, said there's "certainly a lot of opportunities out there for old devices to be recycled, and it's better to keep these devices out of landfills and put the materials to productive use."

Linnell also said how electronics sent for "recycling" are handled is a key issue.

"Many companies claim to be recycling but actually ship to developing countries for unsafe recycling. It looks like his business focuses on high resale value items, but there will inevitably be broken items that cannot be resold."

Responded Mosley: "I have not had to recycle anything yet. Sounds weird, right? I have donated broken parts in the past to artists for art pieces, if you can imagine."

He keeps parts in a large box to be recycled, and he plans to work with responsible recyclers.

"I am very aware of the unethical recycling practices that are occurring."

Mosley said he's making enough money to run his business full time and recently quit his job as a credit risk analyst in the mortgage securities business. He has two part-time employees now and an ambitious goal.

"I want to be the No. 1 place" consumers turn to recycle such electronics as iPods, gaming consoles, cell phones and laptops," he said.

smithje@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5155

How do you sell your broken device?

* Visit BuyMyTronics.com.

* At the site, fill out an electronic form detailing the device and its condition, and an estimated payment appears.

* Ship your device.

* Within 24 to 48 hours, you'll receive payment either via PayPal or check.

The green impact

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that:

* 2 percent of municipal solid waste is used electronics, a figure that continues to grow.

* Of the 1.5 million to 1.9 million tons of discarded electronics in 2005, only 345,000 to 379,000 tons were recycled.

Comments

  • December 24, 2007

    8:34 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    aeb1barfo writes:

    I've been recycling from day one. I started by working auto salvage.
    Then I jumped into electronics, first on my own, then at Action Computers..

    Now I recycle Laptops & Servers by bypassing the M$ tax and giving them LINUX.....

    You would be amazed at how well an OLD laptop runs the NEW Kubuntu Operating System.....and what you get FREE....

    The hardest part: Convincing people that INEXPENSIVE is just as good as EXPENSIVE.....

    ( This missive was typed on the Latitude CPx that switches from W2000 & Kubuntu....and shares the same data )